Villain's Lorebook
Villains' Lorebook
2e
Dread Warrior: Dread Warriors are a form of undead created by SZASS TAM. They can be produced from any warrior of at least 4th level who's been dead less than 24 hours.
Animate Dread Warrior spell.
Blood Warriors: The Blood Warriors are a type of undead soldier created by Kazgaroth. The Beast used his corrupting mass charm ability to transform a troop of normal living beings into his fanatically loyal, undead servants.
Kazgaroth's final offensive power is perhaps its most insidious. A corrupted form of the mass charm spell, this ability transforms a troop (up to 500 persons) of living beings into the undead minions of Bhaal known as the Blood Warriors.
Spirit Wraith: Zin-Carla spell.
Ghoul: Unlife spell.
Skeleton: Unlife spell.
Wight: Unlife spell.
Wraith: Unlife spell.
Zombie: Unlife spell.
Animate Dread Warrior
(Necromancy)
Level: 6
Range: Touch
Components: V,S,M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: One creature
Saving Throw: None
This spell creates an undead creature known as a dread warrior. The spell requires the corpse of a fighter of at least 4th level who has been dead for less than 24 hours. After casting, the corpse rises in 1-4 rounds as a dread warrior under the control of the spell's caster.
Unlife
(Necromancy)
Level: 8
Range: Touch
Components: V,S,M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 8
Area of Effect: One creature
Saving Throw: Neg.
Used only by evil wizards, this spell enables the caster to transform a single victim into an undead creature under his control. The caster touches the subject, who must then save vs. death magic. If the save fails, the subject instantly dies and is transformed into an undead creature under the control of the caster.
The exact type of undead depends upon the level of the victim. Individuals of 1st-3rd level become skeletons (50%) or zombies (50%). Those of 4th-6th level become ghouls, those of 7th-8th level become wights, and those of 9th level or higher become wraiths.
Using this spell, the caster can control a number of undead creatures equal to his level.
The material component of this spell is dirt from a freshly dug grave.
Zin-Carla
(Necromancy)
Level: 7
Sphere: Necromantic (Lolth)
Range: Touch
Components: V,S,M
Duration: Varies
Casting Time: 4 rounds
Area of Effect: One creature
Saving Throw: Special
This spell is “the highest gift of Lolth,” granted rarely even to favored drow priestesses. It is a special form of animate dead, which creates a special sort of zombie known as a spirit-wraith. Imbued with skills, hit points, armor class, and THAC0 it have in life, this creation is telepathically linked to and controlled by the caster of this spell, usually a drow matron mother.
This spell may not be instantaneously granted, or may be denied entirely, at Lolth's (as in the DM's) will. It is granted only for the completion of specific tasks, and these may never be purely to work revenge or bring harm on other drow. Failure in the task brings on the disfavor of Lolth.
Zin-carla involves the forcible return of a departed soul or spirit to its body. Only through the willpower and exacting, sleepless control of the caster are the undead being's desired skills kept separate from unwanted memories and emotions. The duration of the spell is limited by the needs of the task, the patience of Lolth, and the mental limits of the caster, for a total loss of control usually means failure.
So long as that control is maintained, the spiritwraith cannot tire or be distracted from its task. It does not feel pain or disability, and will continue to function as long as it remains mobile.
A spirit-wraith cannot be made to cast spells without losing control over its mind entirely, but can fully use combat and craft-skills possessed in life. If control is lost, the wraith becomes a revenant, driven by hatred and the memory of its violation at the hands of the zin-carla caster. Uncontrolled spiritwraiths do not stop until the zin-carla caster is destroyed.
A spirit-wraith driven to do something against its old nature has a chance of breaking free of its control (treat as a charm spell, with the same saving throw as in life). For example, one cannot successfully use this undead to destroy a being that it loved in life. (A fact that Matron Malice Do'Urden learned to her chagrin.)
Spell-like natural powers (such as the levitation ability of drow) are retained and can be used by the undead. The spirit-wraith can use its former experience and memories, as much as allowed by the spellcaster. Both the spirit-wraith and the caster are immune to the effects of spells that attack the mind, and similar spell-like powers (such as the mental blast of a mind flayer). It knows wariness, anger, glee, hatred, frustration, and triumph, but not fear. It cannot be controlled by the spells and priestly powers normally used to command encountered undead, and control of it cannot thereby be wrested away from the caster of the zin-carla.
Spirit-wraiths do not breathe, but can speak (if allowed to do so by their controller). They can utter command and activation words, and the controlling caster can speak through them directly, but spell incantations will take effect if uttered by the undead.
To stop a spirit-wraith it must be physically destroyed; if it is still able to even crawl, it will do so, tirelessly, searching for a way to complete its task.
The material components of this spell are the corpse to be re-animated, and a treasured object that belonged to the person to be controlled. If the corpse is badly decomposed or not whole, other spells (such as Nulathoe.s ninemen) and magical unguents also will be required, to restore it to a whole condition.
Wizards and other powerful creatures (such as mind flayers, aboleth, or cloakers) who raid and despoil drow cities can expect to face either a full-scale attack-or a spirit-wraith or two.
